Feed and Care of the Horse — Rations. 297 



at light work do best on light rations, and these should be less concen- 

 trated and contain more roughage. No other farm animal is so 

 strongly the creature of habit as is the horse, and in no way is he 

 more so than in the matters relating to food and its administration. 

 Sudden changes in quantity and variety should be avoided. A quick 

 change from oats to corn may bring on colic, but changing from 

 corn to oats is less dangerous. An abrupt change from old to new 

 hay, or from late- to early-cut hay, may bring trouble. Wilted grass 

 is more dangerous than fresh grass. Any unusual feeding stuff, such 

 as silage, roots, apples, etc., should be given in small quantities at 

 first, and changes in kind and quantity should always be made grad- 

 ually. It is best to mix and feed several kinds of concentrates to- 

 gether rather than feed them separately. Hay should be fed at the 

 same time the concentrates are given, in order to properly distend 

 the stomach and intestines. Thru carelessness or mistaken kindness 

 the mangers are often kept filled with hay, and the horse gorges him- 

 self with this provender, a staring coat, labored breathing, and quick 

 tiring being the least serious, tho probably the most noticeable re- 

 sults. There should be a definite, limited allowance of hay for the 

 horse at each feeding time, given mostly at night. More horses 

 are injured by feeding too much hay than too little. 



With increasing age and continued use, the teeth of the horse 

 elongate and often wear irregularly, leaving sharp points and ragged 

 edges that cause pain and prevent the proper mastication of the 

 provender. In extreme cases horses actually die of starvation be- 

 cause thru irregularly worn teeth they are unable to chew their 

 food. Many horses that are poor in flesh and wear staring coats, 

 despite a reasonable supply of food, owe their condition to poor 

 teeth. The teeth of all horses should be frequently examined and 

 properly cared for by the owner or by a veterinarian, 



468. Supervision of feeding. — In stables where many horses are 

 maintained, a group or row of animals should remain in the care of 

 the same attendant, the whole establishment being under the watch- 

 ful supervision of the superintendent. While we can estimate quite 

 closely the amount of food to be given a hundred or a thousand 

 horses, there should always be modifications and concessions to in- 

 dividual members of the establishment to be recognized and provided 

 for by the guiding mind, — one horse should have a little more than 

 the regulation allowance, and the next possibly a little less, the ob- 

 ject being to keep each in the desired condition. Usually it is not 



